“You just saw her last night,” Chad pointed out.
“Yeah,” Josh said. “And we had a good time so I invited her over to watch a movie and share a take-out pizza.”
“Moving a little fast, aren’t you?” Brody said, reaching for the beer can.
I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve kissed her this past year, Josh thought.
“She has to work the rest of the week.” Josh picked up the bottles. “And I’m done playing games. I wanted to see her so I called and invited her over.” He raised his hand holding the beers and pointed first to Brody. “You shouldn’t be lecturing me about fast. You were messing around with my doctor on her first night in town.” He shifted his attention to Chad. “And you—”
“Lena’s different,” Chad cut in, his easygoing, playful tone forgotten.
“So is Caroline.” Josh lowered his arm. “Stay out of the barn tonight.”
“We could always send Katie over to check on the horses,” Chad pointed out.
Josh shook his head. “I already told her that I’d let her goats out in the middle of the night if she did that. You’ll be out there helping her round them up and making sure they didn’t get their heads stuck in the fence again if you encourage her.”
“We’ll leave you alone,” Brody said firmly.
“One more question,” Chad added. “What are you watching?”
“Katie lent me that adventure movie about that kick-ass girl with the bow and arrow,” he said.
“You can’t watch a movie based on a kid’s book,” Chad said. “Not if you want to get laid tonight.”
We could watch porn and the date still wouldn’t end in bed, Josh thought. But he wasn’t about to explain Caroline’s three date rule to his brothers. Or his suspicion that three dates might stretch to four or more.
“I have a better idea.” Brody pushed back from the table and stood. “Wait here a sec.”
“I’m not watching some cheesy romantic tear-jerker,” Josh called after him.
“Afraid you’ll cry?” Chad said without cracking a grin.
“Or she will,” Josh muttered. He wouldn’t run from a crying woman. But their relationship already had a shitload of serious. He didn’t need a high-drama movie tossed into the mix. Hell, he would have watched their favorite reality dating show. Too bad it didn’t air on Tuesdays.
“Take this,” Brody said as he walked into the kitchen and held out a DVD. “That way you can offer her a choice. Plus, Kat loved this movie. She begged me to watch it with her. I caved and . . .” His big brother raised his hand and rubbed the back of his neck as his gaze dropped to the floor.
What the heck? Is Brody blushing?
“It’s a good date flick,” his oldest brother added.
“Thanks.” Josh took the disc and headed for the door. “But I still think she will prefer the adventure movie.”
The screen door leading from the farmhouse kitchen to the great outdoors slammed behind him. But not before Josh heard Chad say, “How come you never gave me porn to share with my girl?”
CAROLINE STARED OUT the window of Dominic’s truck. She understood cause and effect. She’d ventured outside her comfort zone and now she felt skittish, as if she should open the passenger door and dive out of the moving vehicle.
But that would be stupid and probably lead to injuries. Then Lily would drag her to the hospital instead of taking her to Josh Summers’s place.
“It’s nice of you to drive me all the way over here,” Caroline said.
“Josh promised cookies, brownies, and a berry pie for the kindergarten bake sale,” Lily said. “I can take a couple of hours out of my Tuesday night to give a friend a ride if it means I won’t have to slave over an oven this weekend. Plus, I’m happy for you. Getting back out there. Dating again.”
“Two dates in two days might be too much,” Caroline said.
“After a year of sharing pie, I think you’re ready. But I’m only a phone call away if you change your mind. And I’ll be back in three hours to drive you home if you don’t.”
“You don’t have to stick around,” Caroline protested.
“I’m meeting an old friend for dinner in Independence Falls. It’s no trouble. Plus, I want to hear the details of your date.”
“We’re going to share a pizza and watch a movie,” Caroline said. “There won’t be much to tell.”
Lily turned off the country road and headed for the two-story farmhouse standing beside a bright red barn.
“They repainted,” Lily mused. “The house, the barn, it looks good.”
But Caroline’s heart was beating too fast to take in the details. She waited for the truck to halt beside the lone door on the long side of the barn. Three trucks lined the parking. Four now that Lily had added Dominic’s to the lineup.
“They’re here,” she murmured. “His brothers. Maybe his sister—”
“I doubt Josh invited them to tag along on your movie date,” Lily said. “Go have fun. You deserve a night out—or in—with Josh. Plus, I bet he baked you a pie.”
Five minutes later, Caroline surveyed the cramped studio apartment over the Summers’ family barn. A queen-sized mattress resting on a metal frame filled most of the space. Two doors lined the far wall both open just enough to glimpse a bathroom behind door number one and a closet behind door number two. A flat-screen TV was mounted on the wall. And a table surrounded by a pair of wooden chairs offered the pretense of a dining area in the tiny space.
No pie.
She didn’t see so much as a cookie on the counter in the kitchenette. But two DVDs rested on the round wooden table.
“Double feature?” she asked as Josh cracked open a beer and handed it to her.
“My siblings offered their suggestions.” He picked up the movies and held out one to her. “I’m guessing you’ll like this one.”
She glanced down at the familiar image. “Who picked it?”
“My sister.” He set the second DVD down beside the mini-fridge and withdrew a second beer. “The girl, she’s the hero in the movie, she fights back and kicks some major ass with her bow and arrow.” He opened the bottle, raised it to his lips, and took a sip. Lowering it, he added, “She’s fierce, tough, and hot. Just like you.”
She set the DVD on the table. “I fought because it was my job.”
“True, but when you were attacked by one of the good guys, you fought—”
“No, I didn’t.” She shook her head. “I couldn’t. He was my commanding officer. I couldn’t fight him.”
“But you called him out. You pressed charges.”
She picked up the beer bottle and ran her finger over the opening. “Noah called the hotline. The one set up to report situations like mine. He found the number and placed the call. I didn’t . . . I didn’t even try.”
“Caroline,” he murmured.
The way he said her name, the pity in his voice—it was as if her past had sent a hand grenade into her second date. And if she didn’t remove it fast their evening would blow to pieces.
But she refused to pretend to be some sort of hero. Last night he’d looked at her as if he liked her just the way she was. He deserved to know the truth.
“Protocol dictated that I report the . . .” She couldn’t say the word. She stole a glance at the movie cover. She didn’t even know the story, but she knew she wasn’t the badass with the bow and arrow. And if that was why he’d spent the past year baking for her, if that was why he’d asked her out, he needed to know the truth.
“Protocol demanded that I report the incidents to my commanding officer,” she continued. “And really there was no one else. We were on a remote base in the middle of a desert. Cut off from everyone. My family. My friends. Everyone around us would take his side. Except Noah. And he . . . he found a way to report it. H
e researched the hotline. And he did everything he could to keep our CO away from me. Noah followed me like a shadow whenever he could. It didn’t stop . . . everything.”
Oh hell, I’m making a mess of our second date, she thought.
“Really,” she added softly as she raised her beer to her lips. “It was all Noah.”
“No,” he said firmly as he set his beer on the counter. “It was you. You survived. You’re still surviving.”
“I’m running,” she said flatly.
He crossed the kitchen/dining area in two strides. “Not right now.” His hand cupped her jaw, his touch featherlight and seemingly at odds with his firm tone. “Right now, you’re on a movie date.”
She let out a rough laugh. “If we start every date like this—”
“We’re getting to know each other,” he said, his thumb stroking her cheek. “Nothing wrong with that. Now I know you and my sister don’t share the same taste in movies. So we’ll watch Brody’s pick . . .”
He stepped back and she missed the feel of fingers against her skin. His right hand plucked the second DVD from the counter.
“Magic Mike,” he said.
She laughed as her lips formed a smile that would have felt impossible moments earlier. “Your big brother gave you a movie about male strippers?”
“Yeah.” Josh turned the case over and read the back. “Sorry. I didn’t look at it too closely. He said Kat liked it. After they watched it . . .” He glanced up at her. “He didn’t offer details, but he blushed. And that’s rare for Brody. But we can watch whatever is on TV. Maybe there is a reality show? You can look while I heat the pizza I picked up in town. Half cheese, half pepperoni.”
“Oh no.” She plucked the case from his hand. “We’re watching the male strippers.”
He shook his head as he turned to the small oven with a pizza box resting on top. “See, I was thinking you would go for the adventure movie. Maybe curl up in my arms and pretend to be scared. We’d both know the truth, but—”
“I’ll still curl up in your arms.” She removed the DVD and knelt down to insert it into the player. Mike had already worked his magic, banishing the serious from the conversation. “And maybe later I’ll talk you into a striptease?”
THANK YOU, CHANNING Tatum, Josh thought as the final credits rolled.
Thirty minutes into the movie, Caroline had set her plate of half-eaten pizza on the floor and sat back against the pillows lining the wall with her shoulder touching his. Then her hand had brushed his thigh as the men on screen thrust their hips in time with the music. And when the show started and he took off his shirt? Caroline had rested her head against his shoulder. He’d wrapped his arm around her and held her close, the side of her body pressed against his.
Who needs bow and arrows when you have male strippers?
“I liked it,” he said. “Good message.”
Caroline laughed and the fingers resting on his thigh pressed into his jeans. “What message?”
“Following your dreams and all that.” He allowed the hand draped over her shoulder to explore. His fingers dipped beneath her neckline of her black scoop neck T-shirt and drew a small circle. “You know, I think Mike will have a really successful furniture business.”
“I don’t know about that,” she said. “If his business takes off, why did they film a sequel?”
“You’re kidding,” he said, glancing down at her.
She looked up at him and her expression didn’t give anything away. She appeared downright somber with her wide green eyes staring into his. And she didn’t pull away and tense beneath his touch.
“Magic Mike XXL,” she said. “I haven’t seen it—”
“But now you’re dying to know what happens next?”
“I saw a few commercials and watched a preview online,” she said. “I have a pretty good idea.”
“I guess I know what we’re watching on our next movie night,” he said.
“You know,” she said, pulling away and shifting to sit facing him on the bed with her legs crossed, “I’m not sure I can wait until our next date for more male strippers. Why don’t you show me what you’ve got?”
Her sensual, playful tone, so different from her guarded responses in Big Buck’s back room—or the broken note he’d heard earlier when she’d tried to explain how Noah had done what she couldn’t when faced with an impossible situation in a damn war zone—left only one response.
Yes, Caroline, I’ll take off my clothes for you.
But there was one problem with that knee-jerk reply.
“Caroline, I can’t dance,” he said. “Not like the guys in the movie.”
“Sorry,” she said softly. And yeah, he could hear the teasing edge slipping away. “I got caught up in the . . .”
“Heat?” He pushed off the bed and reached for the edge of his T-shirt. He’d pulled the fabric up a few inches before he remembered to move his hips. He rocked them from side to side. He was pretty damn sure he looked like a fool. But then her jaw fell open and her tongue ran over her bottom lip.
“What are you doing?” she demanded. She sounded as if one more hip thrust would send her voice spiraling into sultry territory.
“I’m giving it a shot.” He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. “Stepping out of my comfort zone.”
She nodded and her gaze had narrowed in on his stomach. “I’ve been doing that a lot lately,” she murmured.
“Oh yeah?” His hands moved to his silver belt buckle. But instead of freeing his belt, he focused on the hip thrusts, up and back as if he were pushing into her . . .
She’d have to be blind to miss the outline of his dick begging for freedom from his jeans. And judging by the way she leaned forward, shifting her weight to her hands on the bed . . .
Not blind.
She rose up on her knees. “Come here,” she said.
He abandoned the erratic movements and stepped up to the edge of the bed.
“Have you ever danced like that for anyone else?” she asked as she placed her palms on his chest.
“No,” he growled.
“Good.” She leaned closed and pressed her lips to his.
I’m yours, he thought as he released his belt buckle and reached for her. Your stripper, your date. . .
His fingers worked their way through her long, loose, wavy hair. He held tight to her as his tongue tangled with hers. He tried like hell to focus on kissing her. But her hands wandered, distracting him as her fingers reached for his belt and dipped beneath his jeans—
Beep! Beep!
The car horn cut through the quiet night. Below them, one of the horses kicked the barn’s wall in response. And yeah, he felt like kicking something too.
“I have to go. That’s probably Lily,” Caroline murmured, pulling away from the kiss. But her fingers continued to toy with his belt buckle. “But I can’t wait to see you dance your way out of your pants.”
“That’s going to be one helluva third date.”
Chapter 6
“JOSH SUMMERS. JUST the man I wanted to see.”
Shifting the pastry box to his left hand, Josh raised his right and waved to Noah. “Hate to disappoint you, but I stopped by on this fine Saturday morning to share homemade cinnamon rolls with Caroline.”
“She’s not in yet,” Dominic announced as he pushed through the door that led to the staff only area in back. “She’s running five, maybe ten minutes late. Josie’s giving her a ride over, but she had to stop and change the baby first.”
“Have a seat,” Noah ordered in his best don’t-mess-with-the-former-Marine voice. He nodded to the line of empty barstools.
Big Buck’s didn’t open for another fifteen minutes and Josh knew the room filled fast on weekends thanks to the nearby university crowd. He’d never gone the college rou
te, but he supposed that if he had he’d have preferred to study while sipping a pint of Oregon’s finest microbrew.
Knowing he’d have to face the firing squad eventually, Josh set the box on the counter and claimed a stool. He eyed Dominic as the soldier-turned-bartender joined Noah behind the bar. Josh had planned to kick off the weekend with a sugarcoated kiss in the bar’s back room. Instead, he was getting a lesson in Interrogation 101 from a former army ranger—Dominic—and Noah.
“You can each have one roll,” Josh said as he flipped open the box. “But the rest are for Caroline.”
Noah reached into the box first. “How was your date Monday?”
“And your movie night on Tuesday?” Dominic added.
“Good.” Josh smiled at the large blond bartender who managed to make the simple act of eating a cinnamon roll look menacing. But Josh was a long way from breaking under their fierce stares. Though he had to admit Dominic’s dark hair and trimmed beard gave him a leg up in the threatening department. Add in the fact that both men played high school football and led their team to the state championship and you had one hell of an interrogation team.
But Josh had known these guys since they played in the peewee leagues even though they’d never been close. They’d lived in different school districts and their hometowns were about an hour apart. It cut into the intimidation factor.
“Where did you go on Monday?” Dominic asked as he examined the box’s contents.
“Caroline didn’t tell you?” Josh added a hint of feigned shock to his tone.
Noah shook his head. “Caroline told Josie that she should have worn her combat boots. But that’s it. So where did you take her? The local pizza place in Independence Falls?”
“For a first date?” Josh raised an eyebrow. “No, I went with someplace more romantic. And private.”
He watched Noah bite down hard on the soft, fluffy pastry. And yeah, it was difficult not to laugh. But Josh managed as he plucked a roll from the box. He’d tasted one at home, but he had a feeling this conversation might drag on a while. The smell was too damn tempting to resist a second. If he had a third with Caroline, well hell, he’d hike it off later. Or maybe dance it off while he stripped down for Caroline . . .
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